Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
}} "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album: You're All I Need, the song - written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford & Simpson - became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, the first of the duo's s two number 1 R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34. "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is ranked as the 57th biggest US hit of 1968. Chart performance Weekly charts Year-end charts Personnel * All lead vocals by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell * Background vocals by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson * Produced by Ashford & Simpson * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers Remakes Donny & Marie cover Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond, billed as Donny & Marie, remade "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" for their November 1976 album release New Season, with the track having a concurrent single release to reach #21 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in February 1977, also charting Adult Contemporary at #17. It was also a chart hit in Canada, peaking at #26 on the pop chart and #11 on the AC chart. Chart performance Other US charting versions * Aretha Franklin remade "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" for her 1974 album Let Me in Your Life. It was issued as the album's third hit single that August. Franklin's version radically re-invents the upbeat Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell original as a deep soul ballad which Jon Landau of Rolling Stone dismissed as "misconceived (done too slowly)". "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached #6 on the Billboard Soul chart and #47 on the Hot 100 that fall. It won Franklin the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy for 1974 marking Franklin's eighth total and consecutive win in that category and her last such win until the Grammys for 1981. * Chris Christian remade "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" in medley with another Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell hit "You're All I Need to Get By" for his Bob Gaudio-produced 1981 album: a duet with Amy Holland, the track "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing/ You're All I Need to Get By" had a single release in the summer of 1982 to reach #88 on ''Billboard'' Hot 100 also charting Adult Contemporary at #21. (Amy Holland's husband Michael McDonald would remake "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" for his 2003 album Motown.) Christian's 1986 live album release Live At Six Flags features "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" in medley with "Don't Worry Baby" and "I Go to Pieces". Marcella Detroit & Elton John version }} "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" was recorded by UK singer Elton John and US singer Marcella Detroit for John's 1993 album Duets. After its inclusion on Detroit's album Jewel, the song was released as a single under London Records in May 1994, as the fourth and final song from Duets, and the second single from Jewel, with all b-sides performed solo by Detroit. Track listing *;CD single 1 #"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" — 3:36 #"Break the Chain" — 3:47 #"I Feel Free" — 4:08 *;CD single 2 #"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Kenny Dope Extended Mix) — 5:48 #"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Troopa Mood Mix) — 3:43 #"I Feel Free" (Full Cream Mix) — 9:35 #"I Feel Free" (Cry Out Loud Mix) — 5:47 Charts Other versions *'1969': Diana Ross and the Supremes with The Temptations on their album Together *'1970': The Supremes & The Four Tops on their album The Magnificent 7 *'1972': The Jackson 5 on their album Lookin' Through the Windows *'1975': The Dynamic Superiors on their album Pure Pleasure. *'1983': Angela Bofill on her album Too Tough as a duet with Boz Scaggs *'1985': Barry Manilow on his album Manilow as a duet with Muffy Hendrix *'1988': Hazell Dean on her album Always as a duet with Darryl Pandy *'1994': Gladys Knight and Vince Gill on the multi-artist album Rhythm, Country and Blues *'2003': Michael McDonald on his album Motown *'2007': Boyz II Men on their album Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA *'2008': Günther Neefs on his album My Soul as a duet with Edsilia Rombley *'2008': Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé Knowles performed the song for the fifth anniversary of Condé Nast Publications' Fashion Rocks concert. *'2008': Soap stars Tammin Sursok and Michael Graziadei performed & recorded the song for their show The Young and the Restless. *'2009': Melba Moore and Phil Perry on their album The Gift of Love *'2011': Trijntje Oosterhuis featuring the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on their album Sundays in New York produced by John Clayton References External links * Category:Songs written by Valerie Simpson Category:Songs written by Nickolas Ashford Category:1968 singles Category:1969 singles Category:1970 singles Category:1972 singles Category:1974 singles Category:1976 singles Category:1994 singles Category:2003 singles Category:2007 singles Category:2008 singles Category:Aretha Franklin songs Category:Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles Category:Donny Osmond songs Category:Marie Osmond songs Category:Marvin Gaye songs Category:Tammi Terrell songs Category:Vince Gill songs Category:Vocal duets Category:1967 songs Category:Song recordings produced by Ashford & Simpson Category:Song recordings produced by Michael Lloyd Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Curb Category:Tamla Records singles